Superheater.



PATENTED MAY 3, 1904.

A. U. BETHUNE.

SUPERHEATER.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 4, 1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL attoznu PATENTED MAY 3, 1904.

A. G. BETHUNE. SUPERHEATER.

4 APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1903.

4 SHBETS-SEBET 2.

N0 MODEL.

EMuevvilou fi/exar/ (762 6156277 1176,

wtbumoea No. 759,064. PATENTBD MAY 3, 1904.

A. 0. BETHUNE.

SUPBRHEATER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1903.

OL'LOl,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

206mm 0 6/ age/bane wmfi N0 MODEL.

PATENTED MAY 3, 1904.

A. 0. BETHUNE.

SUPERHBATER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1903.

4 SHEETS-SHBET 4.

N0 MODEL.

Cm I] II II II I] ll II II II II II I] II II II II ll II I II II II IIII II I] II II II II II I] II II II II II II II II II II II II I! II I![I II 17 II I] II II II II II II I1 II II ll II I] II II ll II II II IIII II II ll II II II II II II I I] ll II II II II II II ll II II II I!II I] II II II II II II II II II II II II II II I] [I I D 3 n. ll II IIII II II II II I! II II II h -4- 5 /612012 C76?! (15 e/h 4/ n6;

vvwcaoes Z 4 Wm Patented May 3, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER G. BETHUNE, OF BISCOE, NORTH CAROLINA.

SUPERHEATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,064, dated May 3,1904. Application filed November 4, 1903. Serial No. 179.821. (N0model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER O. B ETHUN n, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Biscoe, in the county of Montgomery and State ofNorth Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements inSuperhcaters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for the distillationof wood and similar products; and the object is to construct and providean improved means and apparatus for separating the volatile and gaseouselements or ingredients of wood from the solid and indissolubleconstituents.

Another object is to provide a construction or apparatus for thepurposes intended which is of simple and durable make and which iscertain and efficient to accomplish the purpose at reduced cost.

Still another purpose is to deliver the reducing agent of distillationinto the retorts at an increased temperature to separate the spirits andlighter oils and at the proper time to apply heat direct to the retortsto release the heavier and more obdurate elements, all as will behereinafter fully disclosed, and the novelty asserted particularlypointed out and distinctly claimed.

I have fully and clearly illustrated my improvements in the annexeddrawings, to be taken as a part of this specification, and referencebeing made thereto Figure 1 is a front view in elevation of the furnace,showing the position of the retorts at the sides and the stems of thevalves for regulating the flow of steam to the retorts. Fig. 2 isalongitudinal vertical central section through the mainsuperheater-pipes and showing one set of superheating-coils. Fig. 3 is avertical trans verse section through the furnace and system of pipes,showing the arrangement of the retorts and the still pipes and coils.Fig. 1 is a plan view of the complete apparatus, the roof of the furnacebeing removed to disclose the interior.

In the drawings similar elements and parts appearing in the severalillustrations are designated by the same reference notations.

It will be premised that the system of pipes, the steam-chest, and thecoils leading into the retorts are incloscd withina suitable heating orfurnace inelosure, so that the elements and parts will be protectedagainst detrimental radiation and the required temperature readilyattained and constantly maintained. Suitable fire-boxes are placed underthe retorts to effectually apply direct heat to promote and attain theseparation of the heavier constituents of the wood. The lire-boxes underthe retorts have not been illustrated in the annexed drawings, becausethey may be of any suitable and well-known construction.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a furnace of rectangularconstruction provided with an arched roof and having a smokestack 1 toprovide the desired draft. The front wall of the furnace is providedwith an opening closed by doors 2, whereby access may be had to thesuper-heating system of pipes within. Doors 3 are also provided openinginto the combustion or fuel chamber, and the ash-pit has doors 4.Suitable grate-bars 5 are laid over the ash-pit, on which the fuel isplaced. VVithin the furnace is suitably mounted a system of pipesconstituting the main supcrheater for the steam. This superheaterconsists of a horizontally-positioned plurality of pipeframes laid invertical series one above the other at proper distances apart andcommunicating with each other. The pipe-fra1nes are designated 6, 7, 8,and 9. frame 6 consists of headapes 10 11, connected The uppermost bylongitudinally-disposed pipes 12, each in communication with the heads,as shown. A steam-pipe 13, leading from the steam source, opens into thehead-pipe 11 and supplies steam to the system. The pipe-frame 7 of thesystem consists of opposite side pipes 14 15, end pipes 16 17,communicating with the end of the side pipes, and a plurality ofparallel crosspipes 18in communication with the side pipes, and at therear end of the frame is a vertical pipe 19, opening from the head-pipe10 into the end pipe 16. The pipe-frame 8 of the system is made up ofhead-pipes 20 21, connected by longitudinally-disposed parallel pipes22,

communicating with the head-pipes, and at r the front end of thispipe-frame is'a vertical pipe 23, leading from the end pipe 17 into thehead-pipe 21. The pipe-frame 9 is a duplicate IOO in construction ofpipe-frame 7, comprising parallel side pipes 27 28, end pipes 29 30, andcross-pipes 31. At the rear of pipe-frame 9 is a vertical pipe 32,opening from the headpipe 20. It will be readily perceived that theadmitted steam traverses the pipe-frames of the system in succession andthat the steam as it progresses from one frame to the other is retardedby reason of each frame having 'but a single escape-pipe to the other,so that the charge of steam in' each is greatly superheated beforeentering the steam-chest and also in its course to the retorts.

In the middle of the end pipe 30 of the lowermost pipe-frame 9 issecured a pipe 33, the outer end of which enters the steam-chest 34,located adjacent to the front wall of the furnace and which may be ofany capacity desired to efficiently supply any number of retorts used.In the front face of the steam-chest 34 are let the requisite number ofsteam-pipes 35, one for each retort, and are laid adjacent to the frontand side walls of the furnace, and at their longitudinal terminationsare respectively formed with downwardly-extending coils 36, the pipesbeing extended horizontally from the terminal coil through the wall ofthe furnace and opening into the retorts, substantially as shown at 37It will be perceived that the superheating of the steam is continuedthroughout the system and is delivered to the retorts without reductionof temperature, a desideratum essential to success in the process.Turning-plugs 38 are arranged in each steampipe 35, provided with stemsprojecting through the front wall of the furnace, as shown, whereby theamount of steam desired or required may be regulated, or the steam maybeentirely shut off in its course to the retorts.

39 designates the retorts into which the steam-pipes 37 lead and bywhich the steampipes supply steam to them, the pipes entering theretorts adjacent to the lower ends, substantially as shown. The retortsconsist of suitable metal cylinders of such capacity as may be required,and at the lower part of the cylinders, adjacent to the bottoms thereof,are provided drain-pipes 40, through which the depositions and heavierproducts may be drawn off as occasion may require. The drain-pipes 40are provided with turning-plugs 41 for the usual purpose. The retortsare placed for convenience and to save space along and adjacent to theside walls of the furnace, as shown in the drawings, and the number ofthe retorts may be more or less, as the capacity of the furnace mayrequire. Closely adjacent to the lower end of each retort is a manhole,through which the charge and bulky depositions may be removed, and toeach of these manholes is fitted and detachably secured a closing cap orcover 42, and in the head or cover of each retort is a manhole throughwhich the charge may be made, covers 43 beingprovided therefor, asshown. In the heads of the retorts are fixed pipes 44 of the usual stylein distillation, which terminate in worms or coils 45, which may beimmersed in suitable condensing vessels in the usual manner. By the useof my invention in practice the volatile spirits or products are freedby the application of the superheated steam alone and without the woodbeing decomposed, the products rising through the retorts and passingthrough the pipes 44 to the worms for condensation. Then by theapplication of direct heat to the retorts the heavier products ofcreosote and tar-oil are liberated. By the preliminary mode of treatingthe Wood with the superheated steam I produce spirits and light oilsfree from the odors of creosote and tar. To utilize my improvedapparatus, steam is let into the main superheater and into thesteam-chest and thence subsequently flows to the retorts, the retortshaving been previ ously charged with wood and the furnace fired toproduce the superheating. The steam as soon as raised to the requiredtemperature is let into the retorts and the process of distillationproceeds, the products rising in the retorts, thence through thestill-pipes into the worms, and there subjected to condensation, asstated.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim is 1. A. super-heating apparatus,constructed of a furnace,and communicating pipe-frames dis: posed one above the other within thefurnace, said frames comprising alternating longitudinal and transversepipes, and one of them having an inlet for steam, a steam-chest, andaconnection between the same and another one of the pipe-frames, andpipes connecting with the steam-chest and extending substantiallyparallel with the front and side walls of the furnace, said pipes beingprovided with communicating coils leading outwardly through the furnace.

2. A superheating apparatus, constructed of a furnace, and communicatingpipe-frames disposed one above the other within the furnace, said framescomprising alternating longitudinal and transverse pipes, one of whichis provided with an inlet for steam, a steam-chest, and a connectionbetween the same and another one of the pipe-frames, a coil leadingoutwardly through a part of the furnace, and a communicating connectionbetween said coil and the steam-chest.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER O. BETHUNE.

Witnesses:

J. V. ADAus, L. A. BETHUNE.

